Enneagram Personality Type One – LAB Profile through the levels

Healthy Ones at level 2 and 3Motivation Traits; Internal, Procedure.

Both these LAB patterns appear at level 2 and 3 of the Healthy level down.
A person who is Internal, knows inside themselves if they have done a good job at something and would tend not to look outside of themselves for guidance. Level two sees ones ‘taking responsibility for their actions’ , implying a healthy internal attitude which becomes a little more imposing with the language of should and ought at level 4 within the average range.

The addition of a Procedure trait provides the ‘right way’ approach to life.
Procedure people will need step by step instructions to doing things. If there isn’t a procedure in place, then you can rely on an Internal-Procedure person to provide one.

What is present at this level is the LAB trait of Reactive.This is using the term as the opposite to proactive. If a the definition of an extreme proactive person is one who ‘jumps right in’ and acts before thinking, the reactive one in the healthy range ‘considers the situation first, and waits’ before taking action. At level 3, ones “feel no urge to impose on others”

Another pattern that might influence the working life of a one at this level is the working trait of Proximity. In a work context, people with this trait will want to have a level of independence that more akin to an area of responsibility, but they would be have a frequency of bringing their expertise to a group of other people. This is important trait for ones ability to be able to “prioritize and teach others” (Procedure and Proximity)

The shift to Proactive at level 4 drives the “morally obligated (one) to strive to improve everything” with the Internal judgements as mentioned earlier.

The additional trait of Specific, at level 5, when added to the traits of Internal and Procedure, creates the generic model of the perfectionist.

The “impersonal quality to dealing with people” emphasizes the Thing trait. This can lead others to perceiving the average one as being cold and uncaring about people. Like the highly skilled surgeon with absolutely no bedside manners; seeing the treatment of a patient as a task, and process to be completed.
The sense that what is right for them is equally right for others is probably present throughout the average level. This trait referred to as the My/M (My rules for me/My rules for you) becomes more vindictive at level 6 as the “try to exert rigid control over thoughts and actions – since they are not having fun, why should anyone else”
Average Ones are unlikely to work as a co-operative, although they may be the instigators that advise how best to run one. This would put ones at this level in the Proximity working trait; having a distinct area of responsibility and joining other people to teach them or act as the consultant. The RHETI question No 92 “I have worried that others activities would distract me from what I do” suggest a more Independent trait. Where the average one probably prefer working completely alone.

At level 4, average ones are keen to “improve everything and better themselves and the environment” This suggests the motivation trait Sameness with Exception. People with this trait will seek evolutionary changes rather than revolutionary.

However given the RHETI question No. 75 “Over the years, my values and lifestyle have remained fairly constant” and a tendency at level 5 to be “proper, formally correct – precise etiquette” there may be a shift towards Sameness; which would trigger a need for stability and traditional values.

Stress response Average ones would tend not to let their feelings overtake them, as demonstrated by RHETI question 102 “Generally, I have not enjoyed losing control of myself very much” and 30.”

I have generally been an earnest, self-disciplined person”. This suggests a Thinking response to stress. Someone with this trait would not exhibit an emotional response to a troublesome scenario. They make come across to others as cold and uncaring, which is not necessarily a true evaluation of them.

Unhealthy Ones
Shifts – from My/My to No/My, from procedure to Options

The most visible shift at level 7 is when the unhealthy one “Makes exceptions to the rules themselves” This implies the application of an Options pattern, that allows the rules to be broken, but with the rule structure Over the years, my values and lifestyle have remained fairly constant No/My (No rules for me / My rules for you)

From here on down the “hypocrisies and hypocritical” behaviour deteriorates further.

Type Ones at the Healthy Level 1

A general comment on all types at level 1
My sense is that all types at this level will have equilibrium of all traits, providing the ability to respond in a manner appropriate to the occasion.

The positive aspects of the type one traits; the attention to detail and the instinctive drive for the discernment of ethical standards, would not be possible without a the Internal and Specific trait, but may now be balanced with the opposite traits of External when ones have “tolerance” for others and General, the ability to see problems within the context of a bigger picture.

Therefore, what we would notice, are behaviours associated with previously missing traits, but not to the exclusion of their counter-balance. We might notice a more General pattern, mainly because of it’s previous absence.

Type one shifts

Very healthy ones may exhibit a shift to Options, as denoted by the “tolerance of ambiguity”. This trait, most associated with type Seven (although not exclusively) would counter balance the procedures trait. When this is complimented with a shift to Person from Thing; “their discernment is more human”. Healthy ones experience the freedom of choice, along with their innate wisdom, providing more “effective ways of communicating their views”.
To get the most from the type/LAB Profile combinations that follow
read the two previous articles on LAB Profile Motivation Traits and Working Traits